This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com

TTC offers $25,000 reward in Dupont subway shooting, fear another attack in June

By Curtis RushPolice Reporter

Tues., May 29, 2012

Will the TTC shooter strike again at the Dupont subway station?

Police say they fear another attack because three armed holdups by the same individual have been four months apart.

June marks the fourth month since the last attack, on Feb. 26.

At a news conference Tuesday, the TTC said that for the first time in its history it is posting a reward of $25,000 to catch this person — who police said for the first time may be a woman.

And all the attacks have a similar pattern committed by a well-disguised, heavy-set person wearing either a surgical mask or a balaclava.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Another key characteristic released for the first time: The shooter is likely left-handed because in all three holdups the person carried a gun in the left hand.

All the attacks have been carried out at the Dupont subway station on the weekend in the evening hours.

The suspect has gotten away with cash in a June 11 attack at 9:20 that Saturday evening and in an Oct. 2 attack at 7:55 that Sunday evening.

In the Feb. 26, attack, at 7:30 that Sunday evening, the TTC collector refused the suspect’s demands.

The suspect walked away, then turned around and fired three rounds into the TTC collector booth, two of the bullets striking the victim.

A witness ran after the suspect and observed the suspect getting into a silver four-door car and speed away driving north on Spadina Rd. from Macpherson Ave.

The person who chased the suspect has not come forward.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

“The leads have dried up,” Staff Insp. Mike Earl told reporters.

The employee was rushed to St. Michael’s Hospital with life-threatening injuries. He is still recovering and has not returned to work.

The suspect is described as having a heavy build and white, from 35 to 50, and carrying a bag.

In the first attempted holdup, the suspect wore a white surgical mask over the face. In the two other incidents, the suspect is wearing a black balaclava.

Andy Byford, the chief executive officer of the TTC, said the TTC is “serious about catching this person” and that’s why the reward was offered.

“This is the first time we’ve ever done this and I think this sends a very strong message to our staff that we will support them and to would-be assailants that we will not tolerate people attacking our staff.”

He said “at the end of the day this is public money, so I’m not going to throw money around.”

Byford said “we need to take this person off the streets, calling this attack “outrageous.”

“This person has struck three times and attacked our member of staff potentially with the intention of killing him,” Byford said.

The TTC, he said, has taken a number of steps to make the fare-collector jobs safer, he said.

The TTC has reduced the amount cash on hand and is increasing the amount of debit transactions and is moving toward a Presto card by 2015.

The TTC also noted increased uniform patrols by both police and the TTC, and undercover officers as well.

Other security measures have been taken, but the TTC won’t discuss those operations.

Earl, who heads the holdup squad, said there is a fear of a fourth attack in June.

“The calculation is that it seems to be somewhere in the area of the fourth month — from June to October to February,” Earl said.

“This is a bizarre set of circumstances. Four months apart, same collector booth, by the same individual, and we are on the eve of the fourth month, which has given us great concern.”

More from The Star & Partners

LOADING

Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or distribution of this content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. To order copies of Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com